


Why we wear Mask

by Omari8989



Category: Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25082314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omari8989/pseuds/Omari8989
Summary: What if in issue 42 of Red hood and the outlaws Jason decided to confront his lie with Artemis?  Could a relationship form between these trouble individuals?
Relationships: Artemis of Bana-Mighdall/Jason Todd
Comments: 7
Kudos: 20





	Why we wear Mask

Jason held his breath as he pulled away from the kiss, silently hoping to get some sort of answer to what he’s been feeling, hentasted a slight fragrance on his lips before he spoke.

“ So what do we think?”He grinned, masking his anticipation at her answer.

Artemis quickly looked away and covered her mouth in slight embarrassment.

“ Honestly it was like kissing my brother, if I had one.” She lied and Jason knew it,why else would she hide her face from him.

Jason felt a knot in his throat but nonetheless he went along with her lie, what else could he do? Artemis was a person who was very reclusive when It came to her feelings, expect when he was involved but she still had her walls. 

“ Thank God, I was thinking the same thing and I have four.” He lied, holding up his hand to his mouth.

“ Why am I going along with this?” He pondered 

“ So I guess his friends.” Jason continued as he held his hand out and smiled, he faked a smile most his life, one more couldn’t hurt.

“ Ride or die.” Artemis smiles as she shook his head.

Something didn’t sit right with Jason and he was brought back to his memories of Roy. Who could see through Jason like glass when it came to his feelings for Artemis.

“You’re thinking about her again, man you got it bad.”

“I don’t got anything bad I’m just worry about my team same way I worried about you and korland anytime I have to carry your sorry butt.”

Roy sighed, “ Sometimes, I think that is why so many of us wear masks.” 

Jason rolled his eyes, “ oh this’ll be good.”

“Because we need to pretend to be someone else to do the things that we most want to do.” Roy said and then continued.

“ We need to take the opportunity to tell the people we care about just how we feel about them.”

“ Were you raised in a greeting card factory.” Jason grinned

Roy shook his head, “ Har and Har again, you gonna miss me when I’m gone.”

Jason smiles, “ Don’t get all sentimental on me Roy and so much for mocking.”

Roy sat down next to Jason, “ Mock if you must but we don’t get many opportunities in this life.Nobody is promised a tomorrow Jason. Artemis seems like someone who’s very special in your life. Matter of fact I never seen you think about somebody this much, not even Isabell so when she gets ...

“ I don’t think she’s coming back Roy it’s my fault I never should’ve…”

Roy put a hand on Jason's shoulder, “ We talked about this before, it isn’t your fault and I have a feeling that she’s going to come around soon. Just wait and when she does come, tell her how you feel, it couldn’t hurt and don’t be a coward when the opportunity comes.”

“Opportunities don’t come very often.” Jason whispered to himself as he drove past a dirt gravel road while he felt Artemis tighten her grip around his chest. 

“Artemis is pretty close for someone who just said she basically saw him as a brother.” He thought.

“ What you say Jason?” Artemis asked, just faintly hearing his words through the sound of the motorcycle. 

Was this a chance to finally say something to her,to finally confess how he truly felt? His mind ran through the events of the day, how she held him from behind and comforted him in his time of need. When he held up her chin and encouraged her when she was beating herself up. The pulsating energy he felt when they held hands, he missed her so much and his longing grew ever stronger. The smell of her hair, the softness of her touch, her edgy but beautiful sarcasticness, his nickname which she affectionately called him little one. At first it was an insult but now it meant something more but Jason also used princess as an insult but now she didn’t have a look of annoyance when he called her that. Her eyes would brighten and a smile would grace her face.

“ You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone” the words echoed in Jason’s mind.

He suddenly brought the motorcycle to a screeching halt before they crossed a bridge, it was a beautiful night and the stars were out. The smell of the river rushed into his nostrils as he took off his helmet and threw it on the ground in anger. He wanted to get his feelings out but he wasn’t sure how, he couldn’t wear his mask any longer.

Artemis who was startled by the sudden outburst of anger quickly got off the motorcycle. “ Jason! by the seven beards, what's wrong with you?” 

Jason sighed, “ screw it, it’s either now or never. Chances are the team will be broken up but I can’t go down like this

“ Red I can’t do this anymore, who knows how long you, me and bizzaro are going to be together But I just can’t lie anymore,I can’t act like…”

“ Like what Jason?” Artemis asked as a knot formed in her throat, she wanted to avoid this, just sweep this under the rug and return like business was usual. She was the reason why Jason suffered so much,she had to protect him from herself. 

“ Like I haven’t been thinking about you almost every single day, like I don’t wish for whatever higher power there is to send me back in time so I could go with you! Like I was happy with Isabell, when really I was trying to use her to fill a void that only you could fill.” 

Artemis was floored, She held her arms close to her chest and looked away.Similar to earlier in the day when she didn’t want to tell Jason about mistress. “ Jason…” was all she could say.

“ I’m so tired of lying, Red I’m depressed and I’ve been depressed ever since you guys left. I’m so tired of people coming into my life only for them to be ripped away from me,whether it be death or some cosmic higher power that just decided to screw over me again and again!” He cried as tears poured down his face and he clinched his fist.

“Jason we are here to stay didn’t I tell you that, I’m here to stay just because I don’t see you as..”

“ Red stop it you know it is a lie! We both lied to each other, we both wore masks to hide how we truly feel. You wouldn’t have let me grab your chin like the way I did today,if you just saw me as a brother!” He shouted.

Artemis felt something wet hit her forearm but it wasn't just her tears as a slow but steady rain fall started to come upon them.

“ I don’t know how to deal with my emotions Jason, I just…”

“ fear the unknown of what could happen between us?” Jason answered

Artemis nodded“ Yes, Jason I’ve done some horrible things in my life that I deeply regret. I was a sword for hire, sometimes I killed people that may have been innocent. But that didn’t stop me from taking their life.”

Jason saw the Bana Mighdall Amazon have a look of emotional distress. He knew what she was speaking off and he found out months ago.It was time to clear the air.

“ Artemis you didn’t kill my father so if it’s something that you’re emotionally torturing yourself over,don’t worry about it.” He revealed to the orange haired woman.

“ But how?” She asked in astonishment.

“ I went to the prison that held my dad some time ago, saw the marks of a large axe on the doors, only your weapon could do something like that.” He confessed, seeing a slight hint of sadness in her demeanor upon remembering that mistress was no longer with her.

“ I was sure I wounded him beyond repair Jason. Well I’m happy that he is alive but it still doesn’t sit right with me,I caused so much trauma! I ruined your life Jason.She replied, feeling the down pour of the rain increase.

“ My life was already screwed up before that happened Artemis. The bastards alive Red but maybe he should’ve died. Now do you have any other excuses?” He asked bluntly.

Artemis was silent for a few brief moments, she felt her heart thumping against her chest and the silent downpour of the rain around them. She was never good at voicing her emotions. She barely even wanted to talk to Jason about her broken bond with Mistress, no she dreaded talking to Jason about her beloved axe. But this was something that she hadn't done in a long time, not since Akila. But she was certainly breaking boundaries today, suggesting to Jason that they should kiss was one of them. 

She felt the lump in her throat get harder as she began to speak and her arms grew tighter around her.“ What do you want for me, little one? I'm not the woman who you think I am, you said my only flaw is that I do not know how to quit but that’s not true Jason, I have many flaws some of which you may not like. At times I feel broken because of my past.” 

“ Red you’re nearly the best woman I have ever met in my life.” Jason countered, meaning every word.

Artemis narrowed her eyes in slight anger, She was trying to help Jason.” Jason, you can get back with Isabel at any time, she doesn’t have the same issues I have! I’m not even from your world let alone a normal human, Amazons are brought up to be emotionally tough and have hard exteriors. We cannot afford to be too emotionally sentimental in battle; it would break us all!” She huffed, while closing the distance between them, perhaps giving them some much needed closeness, but she wouldn’t admit it.

Jason glared, “ You’re speaking to a kid who grew up in an abusive home and a drug addicted mother. The same mother who sold me out to die, I want to hate her so much even in death but I cannot bring myself to it. Artemis, I don’t know why I want you, perhaps it’s because you and my mother both had orange hair. Or I want something from you that I never got from my mom.”

“ Jason I can't be that for you, just look at me for who I am!” She almost screamed, nearly making her arms go red from her tight grip. 

“ I don’t want to ruin what we have Jason, now that you're in my heart I don’t want you to leave.” She thought.

“ I don’t need you to be there for me. My mother has long passed and I’m a grown man now, I want something greater with you.I'm tired of lying and pretending. I care a great deal about you Artemis and it’s time we start telling the truth.” He said, crossing into her space and placing his hands on her arms. The tips of his fingers felt moisture on her arms; they're both wet from the rain but he couldn’t care less.

Artemis turned red, slightly looking away from Jason, similar to the kiss earlier. 

Jason moved his hand to her chin,“ Tell me how you really feel Red,I’m practically begging.When you and Bizarro were gone. I dreamed of moments like this and now that you're in front of me,I can’t let it go again like the first time.” 

Artemis slightly blushed“ I told you it was like kissing my broth..”

Jason smiled, “ I didn’t know you kiss your brothers so passionately.” He teased.

“Some Amazons kiss their “sisters”passionately. It’s commonplace in Bana mighdall, so it’s possible Jason.” She said, attempting to be serious but failing as a big smile appeared on her face. 

Jason chuckled, pulling her in for a hug, slightly catching her by surprise. “ So whose side are you on Red?”

Artemis raised an eyebrow “ What do you mean?”

“ Are you on the side of where this is going to eventually lead to? Or are you gonna keep listening to the side that tells you that you're too broken for emotional love?” 

Time stood still for Artemis as she thought back to the moments they shared today and even before they were separated.She remembered inhaling his scent when she embraced him from behind, it lit a fire in her that she desperately wanted to reign in. Emotionally in that moment she knew that Jason needed her, he held in so much pain that he had to let it go. But now things were different,he was being so direct.

Artemis sighed, she was also hiding her feelings and missed Jason, she was a Bana mighdall Amazon but by the seven beards she wanted to be embraced by this man and may he go to hades if he ever let her go!

“ So what’s your answer Red?” As his blue eyes almost begged for an answer.

Green met blue as she sunk into his chest and then gave him her answer, it was either now or never. She was tired of waiting for whatever cosmic force there was to rip them apart,” It is better to love and lost than never loving at all” she had heard this saying many times in man's world but she never knew what it meant until now.

Jason played with her red locks until he heard a slight chuckle from Artemis, he looked up to see an almost embarrassed Amazon warrior biting her lip.

“ I’ve been in so many battles but this is the hardest thing for me. Jason the truth is that I’m very scared. I'm scared that if we get involved with one another and we don’t work, then it would cause so much heartache between us. I’m not fully healed over Akila. But I care so much for you, maybe even…”

“Love?” Jason almost whispered, the word sounded very fitting on his lips but unexplored territory for her.

Artemis nodded her head, unable to speak in these important moments.

“ Artemis I want to be with you, I don’t care if things get messed up. I rather get to know the Intimates side of you than not knowing at all.”Jason confessed.

Artemis laughed, “ You already know some intimate sides of me Jason.” She said before giving him a light kiss on the lips, surprising the both of them.

“ What about the other intimate side that could lead to something kicking around in your stomach and a white picket fence ” Jason teased, only to see a slight glare from Artemis.

“ Typical men always want to bed women and shackle them with marriage.” She said in fake anger, of course she knew Jason wasn’t like that and he had desires just like she did.

“ Relax Red I’m only teasing so where do we go from here?”

Artemis rolled her eyes and smirked, “ We have to get home and check on the kids and bizzaro.”

“ You know what I mean Red.” Jason sighed, feeling the rain pickup “ But we do need to get going before we get drenched, but I’ll stand out here in the rain until you give me an answer.” Jason declared.

“ Fine,by the seven beards, yes I want to be with you! No more lies, no more hiding little one.” Artemis finally admitted reaching up and running her fingers through his black hair.

“ Already knew you would say yes Red.” Jason smirked, before he picked her up and spun her around, although they were the same height she weighed less than he did.”

She rolled her eyes“ Oh Goddess, Jason the ego you have is astounding.” She said, feeling her feet hit the ground.

Jason breathed a sigh of relief and held her tighter. “ I missed you so much red, you just don’t know.” 

Artemis began to feel her eyes water, “ I know Jason, I know. We spent so much time apart,I feared when I got back, you wouldn’t have the same feelings but it seems like the time apart made us ....”

“ Closer.” He whispered as his lips captured her own under the night sky.


End file.
